We have just closed the 25th Year of The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) – an important milestone and a time to look back, and most of all to look forward. I am honoured to Chair The BMA on this historic 25th Anniversary, and equally proud of our service – service to our Nation and to the People of The Bahamas, service to our shipowners and stakeholders, and service to the maritime industry.
The Bahamas has suffered greatly in recent years, first with the utter devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian, and soon after with the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to ravage the world. Our shipowners have been wonderfully supportive of The Bahamas, contributing in numerous ways to hurricane relief. And The Bahamas has given back to the maritime industry by offering long-term shelter to cruise ships over the many long months of the pandemic shutdown. With the backing of The BMA and the Port Department, I have been privileged to play a role in managing the sheltering programme, and maritime movement in The Bahamas over these past months. It has been an unexpected call to action that The BMA has answered without hesitation.
Since its establishment in July 1995, The BMA’s has overseen the remarkable progress of The Bahamas Flag fleet to one of the world’s largest, in the top-10 with 64 million gross tons on our Anniversary date. We are the world’s largest Flag for passenger ships, and one of the top flags for the LNG and offshore sectors. This speaks to the quality of our staff and service, to our organization and to our expertise. The world’s major shipowners have entrusted the world’s most sophisticated ships to our Registry, and we are proud to service these ships along with the hundreds of merchant vessels and specialty vessels that have chosen to flag with us.
We have long embraced quality as a significant asset. Our shipowner partners have set successive record-low detention rates in port-states the world over. And the corresponding reputation of The Bahamas as a quality Flag translates into an important advantage for our owners.
But a successful past is but a solid foundation for an even better future. We must continue to underpin progress, to invest in our people, in our systems and in our relationships. We must continue to show a capacity, day-in and day-out, to add value for the people of The Bahamas, and to add value for our stakeholders.
The BMA continues to play a leadership role at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) where The Bahamas has served as Council member continuously since 1999, and at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) where The Bahamas was one of the first countries to ratify the Maritime Labour Convention 2006. We have been at the forefront of common sense regulatory solutions that support maritime safety and environmental responsibility. Today, the regulatory challenges are greater than ever, and we will continue to work with all of our stakeholders to support the technical innovation that will enable the achievement of international goals.
The BMA has based itself on fostering dialogue, and on a strategic partnership with our stakeholders, and I am pleased with our continued close collaboration with our shipowners, individually, and collectively through the Bahamas Shipowners Association (BSA). We will continue to work with the BSA and with other industry groups, sharing our experience to achieve the effective formulation, implementation and compliance with regulatory requirements.
Shipping will progress only so far as the people who man, operate, repair, manage service and regulate ships, can work together to achieve common goals. We pledge to continue to play a constructive role in this regard. We will continue to support capacity-building at home and the promotion of training and employment in the maritime sector, through The Bahamas Maritime Cadet Corps and other initiatives that have over the years been so graciously supported by the BSA and by our shipowners. And as The BMA’s first female Chair, I am pleased that our ongoing support of women in shipping will be to the significant benefit of all concerned.
In commemorating this 25th Anniversary of The BMA, I thank our people, supporting our efforts from BMA offices all over the world, our Board, and all of our industry partners. With your continued help, the way forward will continue to be a productive one.
